1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rigid flag replica of any nation, organization, state, individual, family, entity or signal flag by arranging a plurality of alternately uprightly and invertedly parallel U-shaped channels horizontally upon a frame whereby an exposed surface of the uprightly disposed channels is disposed at a different elevation than an exposed surface of the invertedly disposed channels.
2. Prior Art Statement
Government standards indicate that a typical cloth flag will last approximately 90 days based on daily usage during daylight hours only. This assumes there will not be inclement weather. Flags flown 24 hours a day may only last one fourth as long. There are also expensive time and maintenance issues involved with cloth flags. Perhaps the most costly item involved with a cloth flag is the cost and installation of a flag pole as the flag pole often costs more than the sum of the flags purchased over an organization's life time.
Planar flags painted upon a flat surface such as building walls or roofs or parts thereof are known to the inventor. Also known to the instant inventor are planar flag decals which may be affixed to a flat surface. For instance, aluminum plate frames with waving flags applied thereto may be found at various decal shops or on the internet site of AutoPlates. Other substantially planar flag appliques may be found at the internet site of CaseArts. Some decal flags have curved stripes to give the appearance of waving, however, the appearance does not change for passersby as no depth nor definition is present in planar flags. Furthermore, planar flags cannot change appearance with respect to oblique lighting. Painted or decal planar flags are also subject to rapid weathering and must be replaced or repaired often. Therefore, there is a need for a rigid flag replica which is low in maintenance, has depth and definition, changes appearance with respect to passersby and/or with respect to oblique lighting and can be constructed of various materials to be assembled on site.
It is known to provide a rigid display board comprising spaced rigid vertical metal frame members, horizontally adjacently arranged sheet metal channel shaped card holders having the webs thereof imposed upon the frame members and secured thereto to provide a generally rectangular rigid structure. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 1,964,484 issued on Jun. 26, 1934, to Theodore E. Schroeder. The display board of Schroeder does not have a background, a field and a plurality of emblems nor are the channels alternately disposed in upright and inverted fashion and therefore, the display board of Schroeder cannot be used to display a flag having raised and lowered surfaces to give an appearance of waving to passersby. Therefore, there is a need for a rigid replica of a flag which has the below described novel features.
It is also known to provide a program display board comprising supporting means including upper and lower rails, a plurality of board units slidably mounted on and between the rails wherein the boards have parallel ribs protruding from one face thereof adapted to receive a plurality of visually distinctive markers snapped over one of the ribs and engaged in a channel between the ribs. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,979 issued on Jan. 7, 1969 to McVicker, et al. The markers must be stacked one upon the other on each rib and thus could not have a background, a field and a plurality of emblems wherein the background comprises alternately disposed upright and inverted channels. Thus, the program display board of McVicker, et al., cannot be used to display a flag of an organization, nation, state, individual, family or other entity. Therefore, there is a need for a rigid replica of a flag which has the below described novel features.
It is further known to provide a sign board of rigid extruded shallow channels having concave sidewalls. The concave sidewalls are snap-fitted over convex shaped clips of a mounting panel, and when so arranged, provide a planar surface for the sign board. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,914 issued on Nov. 29, 1977 to Dobson. All the channels of Dobson have the same planar face facing outwardly and thus cannot have alternately disposed upright and inverted channels on the same face. Thus, the need for a rigid replica of a flag which has these and other novel features still exists.
Also known in the art is a signage system comprising a frame and at least one removable plate-shaped lettering insert, the frame including a vertical support plate with a horizontal mounting flange which receives the plate-shaped lettering insert thereover. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,244 issued on Aug. 17, 1982 to Charles R. Tyke. The signage system has plate-shaped lettering inserts across the entire face thereof and thus the entire face does not have alternately elevated and depressed surfaces thereupon. Accordingly, this signage system cannot be used to display a flag of various nations, organizations, states, individuals, families or other entities. Hence, there is a need for a rigid replica of flags of different countries having alternately elevated and depressed surfaces. Similar cumulative U.S. Patents are U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,610 issued on Jul. 6, 1993 to Veazey and U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,072 issued on Feb. 17, 1998 to Garfinkle.
Finally, it is known to provide a metal awning comprising a plurality of pan channels having upwardly directed flanges and a plurality of cover channels having downwardly directed flanges, the pan and cover channels arranged in parallel, alternate, overlapping relation and joined together at the flanges thereof to produce a corrugated top structure. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,691 issued on Dec. 2, 1952 to J. R. Bottom. The awning produced thereby has found utility as a window or door covering to shield the window or door from the elements, however has not heretofore been utilized for other purposes as the awning comprises only parallel cover and channel pans of certain colors and does not have a separate field applied thereto nor emblems of the entity displayed thereon.